Glyntraian Community Council urges Wrexham Council to rethink decision on school closure

Glyntraian Communty Council is urging Wrexham Council to amend its decision on the closure of a Ceiriog school after a council officer wrongly stated that an objection to closing the school had not been received on time.

At Tuesday's Wrexham Council Executive Board meeting, it was decided that Pontfadog Primary School was to close because of dwindling pupil numbers.

However an objection submitted by Glyntraian Communty Council (GCC) was not included as part of the Ceiriog Valley Federation of Schools Consultation, as a council officer at the board meeting wrongly said it had come in "after the deadline".

The GCC has now said it will be issuing a formal complaint to Wrexham County Borough Council and will bring the matter to the attention of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

A statutory notice will now be published providing a 28 day period for lodging an objection to close Pontfadog Primary School.

A Wrexham Council spokesman said: “The Council confirms that the response referred to was addressed and submitted to the dedicated email address for this purpose, in accordance with the consultation document and it was in fact received prior to the deadline for submission of responses.

"Unfortunately it was mistakenly stated at the Executive Board meeting that the response was late - this was an error on the part of the officer at the meeting for which the Council unreservedly apologises."

"The response from the GCC comprised one of 12 which took issue with the consultation, and which were referred to in the summary of responses, stating they did not agree with the consultation and it was therefore noted as such.

“In accordance with the decision of the Executive Board on April 10 Wrexham Council will now be publishing a statutory notice in respect of the proposals providing a 28 day period for lodging an objection. A final decision will only be made by the Executive Board following consideration of the objections raised during that period.”

A statement from the Glyntraian Community Council reads: "It is with deep regret that Glyntraian Community Council note the admission of a falsehood given by one of its Wrexham Council Officers to Executive Board members during discussions in Chamber.

"The Officer clearly stated in Chamber to Members of the Executive Board that Glyntraian Community Council’s submission came in “after the deadline” and that GCC “refused to participate” in the Consultation. The Officer failed to accurately report the Community Council’s written response which was:

“In conclusion, Glyntraian Community Council reject the legitimacy of the Consultation Document and as such, do not wish to endorse any of the three options proposed within it."

"Given the gravity of the Item under discussion, the proposal to issue a Statutory Notice to close Ysgol Pontfadog – a school that falls within our jurisdiction - this double misrepresentation of the truth in Chamber, serves to further undermine our confidence, and that of the wider public, in the way WCBC Officers conducted this entire Consultation.

"Additionally, it casts significant doubt on Ian Roberts’s assertion to the Executive Board Chairman, Cllr Mark Pritchard, of his “confidence” in the procedural propriety of the Consultation which this Council, and others, have repeatedly called into question.

"We look to Wrexham Council to rescind the Executive Board’s decision to publish the Statutory Notice for closure with immediate effect. We seek a written commitment from the Council’s leadership to revisit all the points raised by the elected Member for the Ceiriog Valley, Cllr Trevor Bates, to the Executive Board regarding procedural impropriety, with the requisite rigour that was so patently lacking throughout this process and as evidenced by this admission.

"Glyntraian Community Council will be issuing a formal complaint to the Wrexham CBC Corporate Complaints Department in due course and will be instructing our Clerk to bring this matter to the urgent attention of Nick Bennett, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales."

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